John’s ministry was located in the wilderness of Judea, near the Jordan River. His message called people to repentance, and no matter who stood before him, his message never wavered. To those who believed their religious/political heritage was going to save them, he called for them to produce good works of generosity (Lk. 3:9). To the tax collectors, he told them to curb their greed (Lk. 3:13). To the soldiers, he told them not to falsely accuse people, and to be content with their pay (Lk. 3:14).
But some believed John overstepped his boundaries; he switched from “preaching” to “meddling.” In his passion for righteousness, he rebuked Herod for the evil he had done, including, but not limited to, stealing his brother’s wife, Herodias (Lk. 3:19). Such an indictment stirred the waters of political unrest, giving Herod’s enemies a means to stand against the king (according to Mark 3:6 he had his supporters). At best, a seed of discontent was planted, fueling responses to the “Complaint Department.” At worst, John was stirring political unrest which could fuel civil unrest, riots and embolden a foreign power into an aggressive position. Beyond right or wrong, John’s voice needed to be silenced. For that, he found himself locked up in Herod’s prison (Lk. 3:20).
We applaud John because he was willing to stand against the tide of political pressure for what was right. And while he was removed from his wilderness “pulpit,” and eventually executed by Herod, he never lost his Wilderness Voice. Other prophets failed where John succeeded.
In 2002 Billy Graham’s voice was heard on a 1972 recorded tape in tandem with President Richard Nixon as the President made disparaging remarks concerning the Jewish people of America. How could a man of God, who preached repentance to thousands of people all over the world, who also embraced desegregation and refused to hold segregated revivals during the 1950’s, be complicit to such racist comments? I’m not sure of the answer, except that when God’s man gets joined to the hip of political aspirations, the result is often a selling out of integrity (followed by a diluted prophetic message). The arena Billy Graham operated in is power addictive, so that the position he holds becomes more important than the message he preaches. Where Billy Graham should have questioned the President, he found himself complicit in racism.
When the church snuggles too closely up to the political world, we risk losing our Wilderness Voice. I’m very comfortable linking arms with George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, as they seemed like godly men whose spiritual conscience helped guide their presidency. But what does the church do when the presidents (or any of our government officials) get their hands dirty? What does the church do when we’ve rallied people for a candidate who eventually acts on immoral or unethical principles? The same can be asked when the party we support acts unchristianly or supports an action which stands in violation with God’s Word.
During the 1930’s too many of Germany’s churches lost their Wilderness Voice by endorsing the Nazi movement. Sympathizing with their government, Adolf Hitler had their support, as he led the nation out of the brink of economic devastation to prosperity. National pride replaced shame. Hope emerged once again. And the church, caught up in the national movement, turned a blind eye and deaf ear to the travesty of racial hatred at the core of the very nation they loved and supported (in part because the preachers and Christians who Reclaimed the Wilderness Voice were quickly silenced). In the end, to say the least, the churches in Germany were complicit in the deaths of six million Jews.
When the church endorses the political movement or climate, they risk losing their Wilderness Voice. When the relationship between the church and the government is too friendly, a conflict of interest arises for who then will stand for God’s Message? For them the political clout is more important than the Word, and the Wilderness Voice is finally silenced.
Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)